ROUNDUP WEED KILLER PRODUCT LIABILITY TRIAL BEGINS IN SAN FRANCISCO

Product liability claims involve people who have been injured as the result of defects or dangers that a manufacturer either should have known about or knew about and failed to pull the product or provide adequate warnings. A recent trial went underway in San Francisco recently concerning a common and well-known gardening product that is alleged to contain cancer-causing agents which have left many people suffering serious illnesses as a result.

Product Liability Trial Begins for California Man

A federal jury in San Francisco will hear testimony about how a California man developed cancer and how the weed killer Roundup may have been to blame. The lawsuit involving a 70-year-old man is one of the thousands of product liability cases filed throughout the country against agribusiness giant Monsanto, the maker of the weedkiller. The man’s case has the distinction of being the second to go to trial.

The man claims he contracted cancer after routinely using Roundup weedkiller for years under the assumption that it was safe. Critics of the product claim that the main ingredient glyphosate, a common herbicide, is responsible for a variety of cancer illnesses among users. Monsanto disputes this claim, stating that they have conducted numerous studies which have determined the chemical to be safe. Previously, a San Francisco jury awarded another Roundup litigant more than $289 million for damages he suffered as a result of using Roundup and later contracting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. That award was later reduced to $78 million by the judge and Monsanto is appealing the verdict.

San Francisco Cases Known as ‘Bellwether’ Trials

While thousands of other Roundup product liability cases have been filed throughout the country, government regulators have not issued any consumer warnings nor do they support the idea that glyphosate is a cancer-causing agent. It can be safely used, providing consumers follow packaging directions. However, there is acknowledgment of the fact that what we do know about the weedkiller is limited and that there likely should be some regulations regarding its use.

For those who claim to have suffered various types of cancer as the result of the product, the U.S. Judge Vince Chhabria, who is overseeing hundreds of Roundup lawsuits, advises that the San Francisco cases could be what is known as ‘bellwether trials’. This means that both the manufacturer and the attorneys for the plaintiffs will be watching the outcome to determine whether to take future cases to trial or whether a settlement might be in the client’s best interests.

Contact Our San Jose Attorneys Today

When you suffer serious injuries or illnesses because of defective and dangerous products, the Jachimowicz Law Group acts as a strong legal advocate on your side to help hold manufacturers accountable. To request a consultation about your particular case, call 408-246-5500 or reach out to our experienced San Jose personal injury attorneys online today.